The Idiosyncrasies Of Love
by iloveromance
Summary: Comfortable with his life and his set ways, Niles is suddenly self-conscious when the woman he loves makes him feel unworthy. A continuation of "Sorting Table" by SJ Smith Evil Little Dog written her blessing and with many thanks.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: When I read the short but incredibly sweet "Sorting Table" by SJ Smith, I couldn't resist writing a continuation and my sincere thanks to such a great writer for the blessing to write this story. Sorry for the short chapters. **_

Niles sat at the table across from his brother, staring at the array of candy coated chocolates that he'd meticulously lined in a row. Each one was exactly a half inch from the other, making his effort far superior to that of his older brother's.

Frasier, in an attempt to outdo Niles yet again, grinned smugly at his own row of candy, which consisted of three orange, two blue, six brown, five yellow and twelve green. What the significance was, Niles had no idea but it burned him to the core. Frasier was forever trying to make himself look better.

It was disgusting. The man already had a successful radio show. What more did he want?

The question would have aggravated Niles even more were it not for the fact that his shoulder still tingled from where she'd touched him. _She _being Daphne Moon, the goddess who shared Frasier's inhabitance day after day. Granted, Frasier's relationship with Daphne was purely platonic-a business relationship as it were. But what must it be like, waking up every morning knowing that an angel was only a few feet away?

Just imagining it made Niles' anger toward his brother melt away and once again he was aware of his shoulder. The way Daphne had touched him before turning to walk into the kitchen just moments before. The touch of her hand had left a warmth on his shoulder that was indescribable. But one thing was certain…. Daphne was truly wonderful in every sense of the word.

His mind went back to the argument he'd had with Frasier when Daphne had expressed her curiosity about what they were doing. It was plainly obvious to anyone, they were sorting candies, something he assumed that everyone did. It would have been so easy to come back with such a sarcastic comment in reply to her question. But he couldn't do it. His love for her was much too deep to risk hurting her feelings.

He loved her so much, even if she had no idea.


	2. Chapter 2

Niles rose from his chair, intent on making himself a glass of sherry. But when he reached the bar, he stopped and appeared through the opening that looked into the kitchen. To his horror, he could see Daphne doubled over in hysterical laughter. And it didn't take a PHD in Psychology-or even a book from an Intro to Psychology Class-to know why she was laughing. And then her spoken words confirmed his deepest fear.

"Sorting candies by colors!" She laughed, barely able to say the words. "What will the Crane brothers think of next?"

Niles swallowed hard and hung his head, no longer interested in a glass of sherry, or even of being in Frasier's home. He stood there watching the woman he loved laugh at him as though he were some sort of joke.

And maybe he was.

All of his life he'd been teased and bullied, laughed at and ridiculed so why should now be any different? He should be used to it by now, after living with Maris for so long. Although she claimed to love him, he wasn't oblivious to the snickering and pointing that so often occurred when he said or did something she disapproved of. Nothing he ever did pleased her, and now that they were divorced it seemed that his insecurities had been tarnished to the point of no return.

Even his patients, who paid him large sums of money to pour out their feelings and deepest secrets in the hopes of being cured, looked at him in an odd way. He knew this… he knew it from the very beginning. But he simply chose to ignore it, with the ridiculous notion that if he did so, it might go away. But this sort of ridicule was entirely different, for it had come from the woman he loved. And suddenly he feared that the hurt, which was more intense than anything he'd ever felt before, might never go away.


	3. Chapter 3

With a sigh he put down his glass and crossed the living room to grab his coat as he ignored Frasier's glare.

"Niles, where are you going?"

"I'm going home." He replied, slipping his coat around his shoulders.

"But why? We haven't finished our sorting!"

"I have. I'm sorry Frasier. I just… I have something I need to take care of. Goodbye."

"Niles!"

His heart raced and he increased his steps when he saw Frasier rise from his chair to follow him. But he refused to give in. he simply couldn't stay in the same home with Daphne any longer, as much as the idea hurt him. He had to leave, to go somewhere to clear his mind. But he knew that whatever he did would do little to soothe the ache in his heart.

When he felt Frasier's hand on his shoulder, he quickly pulled away. "Leave me alone, Frasier! I-I have to go!" He could still hear Frasier's protests as he entered the hallway and he heard his name once more. And finally he turned to glare at his older brother.

"Niles, what in God's name has gotten into you?" Frasier demanded.

"Have fun sorting your candies by colors!" Niles snapped. He swallowed hard, unable to rid himself of the lump in his chest. And as he slammed the door behind him, he crossed the hallway, grateful for the speed in which the elevator doors opened beckoning him inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Daphne was still laughing when she came out of the kitchen catching a glimpse of her boss. His gaze was transfixed on the table and the rainbow of candies that lay in a perfect line. No doubt he'd worked hard on it as he did with everything in his life. And that's exactly what made this scenario so darn funny.

"Dr. Crane you're doing beautifully! I'm so impressed! I-where's your brother?"

"He left!"

The sudden harshness of her boss's voice surprised her. "So soon? Well that seems odd."

"It is odd, but then again so is he!"

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Well that makes two of us! One minute we're sitting here having a… well, a moment… a bonding between brothers, and the next minute, he's angry… reclusive and a complete jackass!"

"That's not like him at all."

"Of course it is, Daphne! He's always been that way, ever since we were kids!"

"I didn't mean that! I meant… You mean he just walked out and –was that him I heard slamming the door?"

"It certainly was. But not before he told me to _have fun sorting my candies_, whatever that means! He of all people should know that what we're doing takes skill! Perseverance! And-."

Daphne's body grew cold and she lowered herself into Martin's chair. "Oh dear…"

"What's wrong with you?"

She closed her eyes, praying that this was a dream. But when she opened them again she realized that it was, in fact a horrible nightmare, one that she had created. Could it really be possible that Niles had overheard her laughing about him in the kitchen? Niles and Frasier did so many things that confused and amused her and she never hesitated to let them know how ridiculous it made them look. But she never imagined that they would be truly hurt by her comments. Their father was always telling them how stupid or silly they seemed. Perhaps it was the fact that she was a woman that made the teasing hurt. Niles was so much more sensitive than Frasier and suddenly a terrible feeling came over her.

This wasn't good at all.

Forgetting all about the dirty dishes in the sink and the fact that she still had work to do, she removed her apron and tossed it into the kitchen. And then she hurried across the living room, grabbing her coat and purse.

"Oh Daphne where are you going now? Is everyone in this house completely senseless?"

"No, just you!" She snapped. "I'm going out!"

Frasier threw up his hands in defeat. "Oh well that's just great! Why doesn't everyone just run off and leave without any explanation whatsoever? First Dad, then Niles and now you and-"

But Daphne didn't hear him. She was already making her way into the lobby, willing the elevator to go faster. She just hoped that she wasn't too late.


	5. Chapter 5

Daphne dashed out of the building and ran to her car ignoring the pounding of her heart. Never before had she felt so terrible. When she was a schoolgirl her parents were constantly warning their children about the consequences of ridiculing others because it could hurt them deeply. But only now did she truly understand what it meant.

She drove blindly around the city, pulling to a screeching halt at a local discount store and ran inside. Minutes later she returned to her car clutching her purchases in her hands. It was a small gesture, but she feared that it might not be enough.

Her hand trembled as she turned on the ignition and drove to her next destination. She prayed that he would be there, because if he wasn't, she didn't know what she would do.

Café Nervosa was unusually busy, bustling with customers and she wondered if it was some sort of sign-or an omen of things to come. She made her way through the front door and pushed it open, strangely calmed by the high-pitched tinkling bell that announced her arrival.

To her dismay, the café was even busier than she anticipated. Almost every seat was filled, making it nearly impossible to carry out her mission. Just as she was about to give up and try a different location, she spotted him, sitting alone in a corner, his nose in a book. But she was fairly certain that he was paying little to no attention to what was written on the pages.

She walked further into the café and pushed her way through the crowd until she reached the long line of customers. It was there that she waited rather impatiently for her cinnamon tea. And when it finally surfaced, she pushed her way through the crowd once again until she reached his table.

"H-hello Dr. Crane."

He glanced up from his book long enough to make eye contact and then looked away. Gone were the sparkle in his blue eyes and the sweet smile that usually accompanied his greeting, a fact that was a bit disconcerting. And then he uttered her name tersely.

"Daphne."

She was surprised at how much the tone of his voice hurt. She swallowed hard and tried again. "Dr. Crane, I know you don't want to see me right now, but I think we should talk."

Annoyed, he put down his book, slamming it shut. The sound, although faint against the clamor of the busy café, made her flinch.

"Fine, what did you want to talk about?" He asked in the same curt manner.

"Well, it's about what happened earlier when you and your brother were-."

"Sorting our candies by color?"

The manner in which he threw her words back in her face hurt worse than if he had slapped her. Tears welled in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

"Yes, that's what I meant. Dr. Crane I'm so ashamed of what I've done! I never meant for you to overhear me laughing, nor did I imagine you hearing me talking out loud. But I couldn't help meself! I've never met anyone like you or your brother and when I saw what you were doing, I-well… I didn't know what to think. You're-."

"You don't have to explain, Daphne. I know what you think of me. I'm not… normal but I can't help it! I have to have things _just so_, I wipe down my chair before sitting down-especially here at Café Nervosa, but is that so unusual? I order my drinks with the utmost of care; a non-fat half-caf latte with the faintest hint of cinnamon. I love the opera, fine wine, good books and…. Well there are a million other idiosyncrasies about me that people don't like. Perhaps that's why I was constantly teased and ridiculed in school. But I just thought…. Well, you're such an angel and you've been nothing but kind to me from the moment we met. I thought you were different, Daphne. You're so beautiful and I thought that perhaps one day…. Should I ever get the courage-."

Daphne took his hand, blinking back the escaped tears that spilled onto her cheeks.

"Dr. Crane you listen to me. It's true that you're not like other men. But that's why I care about you so much. You're kind and sweet… always there to listen whenever I need a friend. You're always saying such sweet things to me about how nice I look or how nice my hair smells. I couldn't ask for a better friend than you."

He blushed deeply, startled when she leaned to kiss his lips. It was a soft, sweet kiss that made her feel completely unexpected. And she could tell by his response that he was just as surprised as she was.

But the biggest surprise was how wonderful his lips felt against hers.


	6. Chapter 6

"Daphne…"

She brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Dr. Crane I'm so sorry about earlier. I never meant to hurt you. I hope you known that." Unexpectedly her voice broke and the tears were relentless. "I know it can't be easy forgiving someone whom you thought you could trust, but I hope you'll find it in your heart to try. Because if you can't, I… I don't know what I would do if I lost your friendship. I'm so sorry... I-."

She gasped lightly when he smiled and reached out his hand brushing the tears from her cheek in the most poignant moment imaginable. And somehow she could see the future in his gesture.

_Their _future.

"Daphne, I could never stay mad at you. Not when you've been such an angel."

"Why do you keep calling me that? I'm not… Oh! I almost forgot. I have something for you."

His mouth fell open in surprise. "For me? But what could you possibly-."

She reached into her shopping bag and sat the gifts on the table… several bags of candy covered chocolates in a rainbow of colors and flavors.

"What's this?"

She felt her cheeks begin to flush. "Well, I know it's silly, but I thought you could use these… for your sorting."

He lowered his gaze to the floor. "A-actually Daphne, I won't be doing that anymore. Sorting candies, I mean."

Daphne swallowed hard. She had caused this… this change in his routine. It was a bit unusual to see two grown men (and psychiatrists at that!) sitting at the table sorting candy by colors. But perhaps there was a reason for it that she simply couldn't see.

She had to admit that there was a certain mystery about Niles. He was definitely handsome, not to mention one of the best friends that she'd ever had. Maybe even her best friend. It could be fun to get to know him on a deeper level, to form a special bond. But the fact that she'd ruined her chance shattered her heart. He'd said that he'd forgiven her but how could he, when she'd managed to completely-

"Daphne, what's wrong?"

She looked at him, feeling unworthy of his kindness and concern. "Nothing, I… Oh Dr. Crane, I'm so sorry! I know I've been saying that over and over but I mean it! I don't want you to give up something that you love! It was wrong of me to laugh at you and I should never have blurted out those words in the kitchen-or at all for that matter! What was I thinking? You and your brother were right in the next room! How could you not have heard them? But I meant what I said before. Sorting candies is sweet and now I know exactly what it shows. It shows that you're a wonderful person and I love you for it."

His mouth fell open in disbelief. "You love me? As in…"

"Well… I'm not sure about the romantic sense but definitely as a friend. But perhaps in time…"

This time it was Niles whose eyes filled with tears and he impulsively engulfed her in his arms. "Oh Daphne…"

She clung to him sighing when he kissed her damp cheeks. It was like a wonderful dream from which she never wanted to awaken. But she knew that they couldn't stay like this-holding each other forever. And so she slowly drew back, instantly missing the warmth of his touch.

"Why don't we take these candies home so that you can start sorting them? I'll even help you if you like."

He smiled and took her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Actually Daphne, I have a better idea. But before I tell you what it is, I must ask that you call me Niles. Please. It would mean so much to me."

The fact that he'd asked her to address him by name touched her deeply and she moved closer to kiss him softly. "Of course I will… _Niles_. Now, what is your idea? Whatever it is, I'm sure it's wonderful."

"Well, it's still early and I've amassed an array of classic movies on DVD as well as some vanilla ice cream and hot fudge. I think these candies would be the perfect accompaniment."

Her eyebrows rose at this unusual suggestion, but she didn't dare let him think that it was a bad idea. She just wanted to understand.

"Accompaniment to what?"

"To the hot fudge sundaes that we can make in my gourmet kitchen. They can be as elaborate as you like and then we'll carry them into my living room, sit on my fainting couch and enjoy them while we indulge in a classic movie. Just the two of us. What do you say?"

Her arms went around him and she kissed his lips once more. "I think it's wonderful. You're the sweetest man I've ever met, Niles Crane. Even sweeter than candy covered chocolate."

His smile warmed her heart and she took his hand entwining their fingers together. "Shall we?"

Together they walked out of Café Nervosa and headed for the Montana. And at that moment she was certain that life couldn't get any sweeter.

THE END


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